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Sword Styles of Galapygos
In Galapygos, creatures of all races have used the '''sword '''as a means of combat almost since time began. The weapon's simple construction, relative ease of use, and effectiveness have made it an influential tool of war throughout all of history. As time went on, a number of unique styles of sword-fighting developed in different regions of the world. They are documented on this page. If your character uses a sword, you may select a style from this page to use. This is purely for role-playing purposes; you may use your own style or simply be untrained in any particular style. A soldier or school-trained swordsman will almost surely follow one of these disciplines. The styles are sorted by region. Corgana Corganan Knight West Corganan knights use a straight longsword and a shield in combat. This style evolved from horseback spear-fighting in the north, and is heavily designed around fighting from horseback, emphasizing slow and deliberate, but powerful slashes with the sword. With the addition of a shield, this style is very defensive and works best when playing it safe. Since most Corganan knights enter battle with full plate armor, a master of this style can become a bastion of defenses, picking off enemies at his or her leisure. Most schools of this style are found in West Corgana, where almost all knights including the King's elite guard use the knightly style. Corganan Duelist One of the most popular styles in Corgana is the duelist style. Many sellswords, soldiers, and militiamen from the region use this style. Corganan duelists use a straight longsword in the main hand and the sword's scabbard in the off-hand. The scabbard is used to deflect blows while the main hand sword slashes. The style originally evolved as a means of defeating knights, and most techniques aim for the throat, one of the least-armored portions of a knight's defenses. One of the more stylish and celebrated techniques of the style is catching an opponent's weapon inside the duelist's scabbard, rendering the opponent weaponless. Schools of this style exist all over Corgana. A famous one is operated in White City by famed former adventurer Roman d'Argon. Rlaysia Iujitsu A Rlaysian word meaning "lightning sword," Iujitsu (yoo-jit-soo) is the technique of killing with one draw of the sword. Iujitsu swordsmen use a single, long, one-edged blade which is kept sheathed until the user determines the right time to strike. Iujitsu is a popular style among Rlaysian nobles, and is as difficult to master as it is popular. However, once mastered, a practitioner of the style can kill his enemy with one calculated, prepared strike of the sword. The user must be skilled at reading his opponent's movements carefully. Iujitsu duels are commonly used to settle disputes between lords and the duels are usually over in seconds. Schools of the style exist all over Rlaysia, but there are even some in Corgana and Fortuna. Rokujitsu Rokujitsu is a one-sword style used in Rlaysia for thousands of years. Practitioners carry a long, one-edged sword and a shorter one-edged sword in case the primary one is lost. The style, like Iujitsu, emphasizes deliberate, single strikes which are quite powerful. The power and accuracy of the style's strikes combined with the high build quality and sharpness of Rlaysian blades means that most such hits will remove limbs if they do not kill the opponent instantly. Many retainers and lords in Rlaysia use this style, as do many soldiers and wandering swordsmen. Schools of the style exist all over Rlaysia, espescially near Roku where the style originated. Badlands Twin Moons In the Badlands, the most popular style is known as Twin Moons. Users carry two wickedly curved scimitars which are used in tandem, one in each hand. The style is extremely dramatic, involving lots of spinning, twirling and whirlwind slashes. The extreme nature of the style tends to make the user a "glass cannon." A Twin Moons master can cause a lot of damage to lots of targets quickly, but is left vulnerable to damage due to the dramatic nature of the style and their light armor. Though there are no formal "schools" of the style, it is taught by almost all Badlander militias. Sword & Spade An unorthodox style from the Badlands, users use a straight sword in one hand and a spade in the other. The style stems from farmers in the Badlands using such armament to protect their crops from desert predators and bandits. While often mocked by other swordsmen, the style is surprisingly deadly as the spade makes for both an excellent parrying device and an effective sundering weapon. Almost all farmers from the Badlands, if trained to fight, use this style. Some wandering sellswords from the region use the style and usually draw stares from passersby, looking for a chance to see how the style looks in action. Fortuna Bladebreaker The primary regional style of Fortuna is called Bladebreaker. Users carry a heavy, straight sword with one sharp, straight edge and one serrated edge. The sword is designed to perform one task: shatter opponent's weapons. If the heaviness of the sword is not enough to break a weapon, users know several techniques to catch the blade in the serrated edge of their sword, usually resulting in breakage in lower-quality weaponry. The main weakness of the style is that its techniques are designed to break blades, not other forms of attack. Hollowdark Rising Tide A popular fighting style from Hollowdark is called Rising Tide. The user wields two straight swords: one in the normal grip in the main hand, and the other in a reverse grip in the off-hand. The style is based on the rise and fall of the tides and is designed to confound an untrained opponent while disrupting their armor. Many tengu utilize this style, as their small stature makes them naturals at it. Crashing Star The most predominant Wolf-Kin sword style is called Crashing Star. Users carry an enormous, two-handed, double-edged sword called a ''riitgard ''in the Lupen language. The techniques of the style are basic, wild and brutal. Powerful, two-handed strikes are the norm, typically designed to break through an opponent's defenses through pure brute power. The weakness of the style stems from its total dependence on the user's physical strength, however. Category:Game Mechanics Category:Lore